Sightings

See the ISS over Washington, D.C.

United States · local time

The International Space Station makes 12 visible passes over Washington, D.C. in the next few nights. Each one is a bright, fast-moving point of light crossing the sky in a matter of minutes — no telescope needed. Times below are in Washington, D.C.'s local clock.

Fri 17 Jul 22:33
Visible
4m
Max height
14°
Brightness
+1.8 faint
Appears → Leaves
NNW → NE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 18 Jul 00:09
Visible
7m
Max height
56°
Brightness
+4.3 very faint
Appears → Leaves
NW → ESE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 18 Jul 21:46
Visible
2m 30s
Max height
12°
Brightness
+2.4 very faint
Appears → Leaves
N → NE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sat 18 Jul 23:22
Visible
6m
Max height
34°
Brightness
+2.4 very faint
Appears → Leaves
NW → E
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Sun 19 Jul 22:35
Visible
5m 30s
Max height
24°
Brightness
+0.5 faint
Appears → Leaves
NNW → E
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Mon 20 Jul 00:11
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
44°
Brightness
+4.0 very faint
Appears → Leaves
WNW → SSE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Mon 20 Jul 21:48
Visible
4m 30s
Max height
18°
Brightness
+0.6 faint
Appears → Leaves
NNW → ENE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Mon 20 Jul 23:24
Visible
7m
Max height
79°
Brightness
+2.8 very faint
Appears → Leaves
NW → SE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Tue 21 Jul 21:00
Visible
4m
Max height
14°
Brightness
+1.0 faint
Appears → Leaves
NNW → ENE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Tue 21 Jul 22:36
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
57°
Brightness
−0.7 moderate
Appears → Leaves
NW → ESE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Wed 22 Jul 21:49
Visible
6m 30s
Max height
35°
Brightness
−0.8 moderate
Appears → Leaves
NW → ESE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
Wed 22 Jul 23:26
Visible
6m
Max height
25°
Brightness
+3.3 very faint
Appears → Leaves
WNW → SSE
60° 30° NESW rise
Where to look — the arc across your sky
Ground track — the path beneath the Station
See it live from your exact spot Get pass alerts on your phone

How to read this

  • Max height — how high the ISS climbs above the horizon at its peak, in degrees (90° is straight overhead). Higher passes are brighter and easier to spot.
  • Brightness — apparent magnitude; lower (more negative) is brighter. At its best the ISS outshines every star.
  • Appears → Leaves — the compass direction it rises from and sets toward. The station always tracks roughly west-to-east.

Want the underlying mechanics? Read how to spot the ISS, why passes only happen at dawn and dusk, and how the station's brightness is worked out.

Frequently asked

When is the ISS visible from Washington, D.C.?

The next visible pass over Washington, D.C. is on Fri 17 Jul at 22:33 local time, climbing to 14° above the horizon. The station is only visible when it is sunlit and your sky is dark — around dawn and dusk — so favourable windows come in clusters of a few days, then disappear for a week or two as the orbit drifts.

Which direction should I look to see the ISS from Washington, D.C.?

For the next pass, look toward the NNW as it rises and follow it across to the NE. The ISS always travels roughly west-to-east and crosses in two to six minutes — no telescope needed, it looks like a bright, steady star moving steadily across the sky.

How bright does the ISS get over Washington, D.C.?

At its best in this window the station reaches magnitude −0.8 (moderate) — bright enough to outshine every star and most planets. The higher it climbs and the closer it passes to overhead, the brighter it appears.

Are these ISS pass times accurate?

Yes — they are computed from the latest published orbital element set (TLE) using the standard SGP4 model, the same maths professional tracking tools use. Times are shown in Washington, D.C.'s local clock and refreshed continuously as a newer element set is published. For a live sky view and a phone-pointing AR mode, use the tracker on the home page.

Coordinates 38.91°N, 77.04°W · orbital data updated · computed with the SGP4 model.